August 20, 2011

Some public officials aspire to public positions selfishly and are bad from the get-go. Others accept their public positions fully intending to be honest and upright, but once in the position, they are subjected to official and unofficial pressures to bend or break the rules and laws. Understanding what motivates dishonesty among some public officials starts with an examination of past behaviors by officials who have been uncovered and their deeds made public.

As you view and listen to this 13-minute video, consider the mnemonic M.I.C.E.: Money – Ideology – Compromise (or Coercion) – Ego (or Extortion). Although the mnemonic is generally associated with those who commit espionage, it can be applied to any public official who becomes corrupt by succumbing to someone using one or more of the controls it describes.